Mitsubishi Estate Group 2030 Goals for SDGs
Reducing Waste and Increasing Recycling Rate
Initiatives at Mitsubishi Estate Headquarters
Reducing Waste and Increasing Recycling Rate
Initiatives at Mitsubishi Estate Headquarters
Under "Environment," one of the key themes in Long-Term Management Plan 2030, the Mitsubishi Estate Group has set targets of 90% for waste recycling and a 20% reduction in waste disposal (compared to FY2019, per m²). The Group is also aiming to recycle 100% of waste in the Marunouchi area (the Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho districts).
To meet these targets, in addition to introducing innovative technologies and revising methods of waste disposal, it is important for each and every one of us to make a conscious effort to reduce and sort waste, ensure appropriate recycling, and improve the recycling rate for resources. Japan's Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society stipulates a user-responsibility approach under which the waste generator bears responsibility for reduction, reuse, and recycle (3Rs). The Mitsubishi Estate Group is committed to collaborating with stakeholder tenants on 3R initiatives in order to work together to pass on a better society to the next generation.
Since February 2021, Mitsubishi Estate has been implementing an initiative to sort waste into 15 categories at its headquarters. In asking tenants to strengthen the sorting of waste, we worked with a manufacturer of fixtures to design and introduce a trash station that can hold 15 separate bins. The specifications will allow the bins to be integrated into a cabinet and, for hygiene considerations, there will be no flaps on the bin openings.
Examples of initiatives aimed at strengthening sorting of waste at Mitsubishi Estate headquarters
- Creating an environment that facilitates sorting of recyclable waste: As most of the waste disposed of as combustibles is actually recyclable, trash stations that allow waste to be sorted into 15 separate bins have been provided in place of trash bins that were dedicated solely for combustibles.
- Promoting recycling of mixed paper: Mixed paper that is not soiled or specially processed, such as envelopes and paper bags, can be recycled into toilet paper, and better sorting is effective for reducing combustible waste in offices. At the trash stations, mixed paper bins have been installed next to the combustible bins to make sorting easy.
- Promoting recycling by sorting PET bottles into three separate bins: Empty PET bottles are sorted into the PET bottle bin, the caps go into a dedicated container, and the labels go into the waste plastic bin.
- Establishing strict rules for sorting and disposing of lunchbox waste: The rules for sorting and disposing of waste in shared office kitchens have been enforced. Empty plastic lunchbox containers go into the waste plastic bin, leftovers go into the food waste bin, and disposable chopsticks and paper napkins go into the combustible bin. Leftover drinks and ice are disposed of in the sink.
See the following for the list of the 15 waste categories. (Sustainability Guide Vol.2)
Initiatives in Collaboration with Tenants and Other Parties
Initiatives in Collaboration with Tenants and Other Parties
Circular City Marunouchi - An Urban Environment for Resource Recycling
As the third step in Circular City Marunouchi, an initiative aimed at 100% waste recycling with a focus on recycling of resources in the Marunouchi area (the Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho districts), the Mitsubishi Estate Group is taking part in a business to recycle waste cooking oil used in restaurants in the Marunouchi area into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the first business of its kind for a comprehensive real estate company. SAF is a fuel with non-fossil fuel feedstock. If 100% of the feedstock were to be waste cooking oil, CO2 emissions throughout the value chain would be reduced by approximately 80% compared with conventional aviation fuel. The Group also started recycling of waste cooking oil into biodiesel fuel in March 2023. The biodiesel is used to fuel the trucks that collect the waste cooking oil. In the future, together with the use of SAF, Mitsubishi Estate will further develop programs for circular utilization of fuel in the Marunouchi area.
Step 1: The “Marunouchi to Go Project”
This is a project conducted in cooperation with restaurants in the Marunouchi area to distribute containers (to go boxes) and paper bags free-of-charge to enable takeaways of leftovers, which will lead to reductions in food loss. The paper bags are made from 100% recycled cardboard from offices in the Marunouchi area, and the containers are eco-friendly, being made from bagasse (strained lees from sugarcane).
Step 2: The Bottle to Bottle Recycle Circulation Program
A project working with Suntory Beverage & Food Limited and Coca Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. to collect plastic bottles discarded in 24 office buildings in the area and recycle them into new plastic bottles. By recycling approximately 600 tons of plastic bottles annually, it is calculated that CO2 emissions throughout the value chain can be reduced 60%* compared to the manufacture of raw materials sourced from petroleum.
We will continue to promote environmentally-friendly urban development in collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including the employees of tenants as well as visitors to the area.
- Research by Mitsubishi Estate
Initiative for Weighing the Waste of Retail Tenants
The Mitsubishi Estate Group believes that the cooperation of stakeholders, including tenants, in addition to the Group itself, is essential in achieving waste recycling rate and reducing waste disposal targets set under “Environment,” one of the key themes in the Mitsubishi Estate Group 2030 Goals for the SDGs, as well as the targets for the Marunouchi area (the Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho districts), and a waste recycling rate of 100%. As part of our collaboration with stakeholders, we began weighing the waste of each retail tenant in three buildings, starting with the Marunouchi Building in fiscal 2020, followed by the Shin-Marunouchi Building and the Marunouchi Park Building. We have been working with tenants to ensure thorough sorting of waste by assigning staff to support sorting, preparing manuals and videos, and raising awareness. As a result, the recycling rate for food waste increased 4.9% (total for three buildings compared to fiscal 2020). In the future, we will continue to increase the number of buildings taking part in the initiative while also renewing waste processing rooms and in-building garbage bins and reviewing their operation.
Going forward we will continue to promote environmentally-friendly urban development by striving to increase the recycling rate and reduce the volume of waste disposal with the understanding and cooperation of tenants to achieve a sound material-cycle society.
GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLETS® food residue from restaurants used as recycled compost for in-mall greening
In September 2021, GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLETS® began a food recycling initiative contributing to the formation of a recycling-oriented society. Producing recycled compost from food residue generated within the mall reduces waste and enables such residue to be used as recycled food resources on the premises. Thus far, we have created three compost heaps within the mall from food residue generated by eight participating restaurants. This food residue is collected, biodegraded by microorganisms, and composted at a recycling center. The Company uses the recycled compost as a planting compost for mall-greening efforts, including at the Flower Terrace in GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLETS®.
GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLETS®
Ecofurni, a Collection and Sales Service for Used Office Furniture
Ecofurni, a Collection and Sales Service for Used Office Furniture
Mitsubishi Estate launched in March 2022 full-scale operation of Ecofurni, a service for collection and sale of used office furniture. Under this initiative, office furniture that is no longer needed due to office layout changes, etc., is collected from companies, inspected and cleaned in a directly-managed showroom-cum-warehouse, where it is displayed for sale as used furniture. The company is working to expand this business, including the opening of the second showroom in Ikebukuro this spring.
The used furniture at Ecofurni is also used in furnished offices where furniture is leased together with the office and subscription services for furniture and appliances. Products that have still not been shipped after a certain period of time are reused and recycled as much as possible rather than being treated as industrial waste. We will continue to focus on this environmental recycling-oriented business model that can contribute to both providing services to support flexible workstyles and realizing a sustainable society.
Examples of furnished offices using used furniture from Ecofurni
